Huntsville gazette., 1887-12-10
necessary
readiustment.

to understand that while high tariff is claimed
| to be necessary to allow the payment of re-
munerat1ve wages, it certainly results in very
large increase in the price of nearly all sorts of
manufactures, which, in almost countless
| forms, he needs for the use of himself and his
| family. He receives at the desk of his employer
his wages, and perhaps before he reaches his
home is obliged, in purchase for family use Of
an article which embraces his own labor, to re-
turn in the payment OF the increase in price
which the tariff permits, the hard-earned COM
pensation of many days of toll.
| The farmer and the agriculturist who manu-
facture nothing, but who pay the increased
price which the tariff imposes upon every agri-
cultural implement, upon all he wears and upon
all he uses and owns, except the increase OF his
f1ocks and herds and such things as in his hus-
bandry he produces from the soil, is invited to
aid in maintaining the present situation; and
he is told that high duty on imported wool is
necessary for the benefit of those who have
sheep to shear, in order that the price of their
wool may be increased. They, of course, are not
reminded that the farmer who has no sheepi by
this scheme obliged, in his purchases OF cloth
ing and woolen goods, to pay tribute to his
fellow-farmer as well as to the manufacturer
and merchant; nor is any mention made of the
fact that the sheep-owners themselves and
their households, must wear clothing and use
other articles manufactured from the wool they
sell at tariff prices, and thus as consumers must
return their share of this increased price to the
tradesman
think it may be fairly assumed that large
proportion of the sheep owned by the farmers
throughout the country are found in small
HOOKS numbering twenty-five TO QIly.
The duty on the grade of imported wool which
these sheep yield, is ten cents each pound if
Of the value OF thirty cents or less, and
twelve cents il of the value of more than twelve
cents. If the liberal estimate of six pounds be
allowed for each fleece, the duty thereon would
be sixty or Seventy-two cents, and this may be
taken as the utmost enhancement of its price
to the farmer by reason Of this duty. Eighteen
dollars would thus represent the increased price
| of the wool from twenty-five sheep, and thirty
six dollars that from the wool of fifty sheep;
n mi
amount to about one-thrd of its price. If upon
| its sale the farmer receives this less tariff
profit, the wool leaves his hands charged with
precisely that sum, which in all its changes
VIII adhere TO 1t, until IT reaches
| the consumer When manufactured into
cloth and other goods, and material for its use,
| its cost is not only increased to the extent of
| the farmers tariff profit, but further sum has
| been added for the benefit of the manufacturer
under the operation OF other tariff laws. In the
meantime the day arrives when the farmer
| finds it necessary to purchase woolen goods and
| material to clothe himself and family for the
| winter When he faces the tradesman for that
! purpose he discovers that he is obliged not only
| to return in the way of increased prices his
tariff profit the wool he sold, and which then,
| perhaps lies before HIM in manufactured form,
| but that he must add a considerable sum
| thereto to meet further in
crease in cost caused by tariff duty
on the manufacture. Thus in the end he is
| aroused to the fact that he has paid upon a
| m oderate purchase, as result OF the tariff
| scheme, which, when he sold his WOOL seemed
/ so profitable, increase in price, more than
/ sufficient to sweep away all the tariff profit he
received upon the wool he produced and sold.
! When the number of farmers engaged IN
| wool-raising Is compared with all the farmers
| in the country, and the small proportion they
/ bear to our population is considered; when it
| is made apparent that, in the case of a large
part of those who own sheep, the
benefit of the present tariff on wool
| is illusory: and above all, when 1t must
! be conceded that the increase of the cost OF
! living caused by such tariff, becomes burden
upon those with moderate means and the poor,
| the employed and unemployed, the sick and
| well, and the young and old, and that it consti-
| tutes tax, which, with relentless grasp, Is
| fastened upon the clothing Of every man,
| woman and child in the land, reasons are sug-
| gested why the removal or reduction of this
| duty should be included in a revision of our
| tariff laws.
| In speaking of the increased cost to the con-
| sumer of our home manufactures, resulting
| from duty laid upon imported articles or the
| same description, the fact is not overlooked
that competition among our domestic producers
sometimes has the effect of keeping the price OF
their products below the highest limit allowed
by such duty. But it is notorious that this
competition is too often strangled by combina-
tions, quite prevalent at this time, and fre-
quently called trusts which have for their OBJ
ject the regulation II the supply and price of
commodities made and sold by members of the
combination. The people can hardly hope for
any consideration in the operation OF these
selfish schemes. If. however, in the absence
of such combinations, healthy and free com
dutiable article of home production below the
limit which it might otherwise reach
under our tariff laws, and it, with
such reduced prices, its manufacture
continues to thrive it is entirely evident that
one thing has been discovered which should be
carefully scrutinized in an effort to reduce taxa
tion. The necessity Of combination to main
tain the price Of any commodity to the tariff
point furnishes proof that some one is willing
to accept lower prices for such commodity, and
that such prices are remunerative: and lower
nriceS 0ro1uapd nv cOmOPfitiOn the
thing Thus where either of these conditions
exist q case would seem to be presented for
an easy reduction Of taxation
The considerations W hich have been present
ed touching our tariff laws are intended only to
enforce an earnest recommendation that the
growth of the surplus revenues Of the Govern
ment be prevented by the reduction of our Gus
toms duties and, at the same time, to emphasize
a suggestion that in accomplishing this pur-
pose, we may discharge a double duty to our
people ty granting to them measure OF relief
from tariff taxation in quarters where it is most
needed and from sources where it can be most
fairly and justly accorded.
Nor can the presentation made Of such con-
siderationS be, with any degree of fairness, re-
garded as evidence of unfriendlineSS toward our
manufacturing interests, or Of any lack of ap-
probation of their value and Importance. These
interests constitute a leading and most sub
stantial element of our National great
ness and furnish the proud proof of
our country's progress. But if in the
emergency that presses upon manufact-
urerS are asked to surrender something for the
public good and divert disaster, their patriot
ism, as well as grateful recognition of advan-
tages already afforded, should lead them to
willing cooperation. No demand is made that
they shall forego all the benefits Of govern
mental regard; but they can not fail to be ad-
monished of their duty, as well as their enlight-
ened self-interest and safety when they are re-
minded of the fact that financial panic and col
lapse to which the present condition tends,
Afforded no greater shelter or pro-
lection to our manufactures than to
our other important enterprises. Oppor-
tunity for safe, careful and deliberate reform is
now offered; and none Of Us should be unmind-
full Of time when an abused and irritated peo-
pie, needless OF those who have resisted timely
and reasonable relief, may insist upon radical
and sweeping rectfcation of their wrongs,
The difficulty attending a wise and fair re-
vision of our tariff laws is not underestimated.
1t will require on the part Of Congress great
labor and care. and especially broad and
National contemplation of the subject and
patriotic disregard of such local and selfish
claims are unreasonable and reckless
of the welfare of the entire country. Under our
present laws more than four thousand articles
are subject to duty. Many of these do not in
any way compete with our own manufactures,
and many are hardly worth attention as sub
iects Of revenue. A considerable reduction can
be made in the aggregate by adding them 10 the
free list. The taxation of luxuries presents no
features OF hardship; but the necessares of
life used and consumed by all the people, the
duty upon which adds to the cost Of living in